"Please listen to me, Master," Lantian Yu interrupts Xiaokai, "whatever requests you have, as long as our flowing clouds and water pavilion can fulfill them, we will not hesitate. However, our sect is facing an imminent crisis, so let's focus on the matter at hand!"
"Oh..." Xiaokai can only nod. "Go ahead."
Lantian Yu takes a deep breath, falls silent for a moment, then continues, "Master, do you know why I am willing to pay any price to seek your assistance?"
"I know," Xiaokai replies. "You saw me subdue the celestial demon, destroy the spiritual vein, and create the mahjong formation. Naturally, you think I'm powerful, and it's right to seek my help."
Lantian Yu shakes her head, "That's not it." Seeing Xiaokai's skeptical expression, she smiles and continues, "Although you have done many incredible things, you have no cultivation base whatsoever, not even the basic sword flight technique. All your reliance is solely on that silent book. Tianyu may have limited knowledge, but my judgment is still intact."
Xiaokai is embarrassed to be exposed like this and says, "Then why did you invite me here so eagerly?"
Lantian Yu's expression becomes solemn as she exhales and murmurs softly, "The will of heaven is hard to find, the demonic energy is strong, to eliminate the small evil and open the gates of world destruction."
"Uh..." Xiaokai is puzzled. "What does that mean?"
"These are the four sentences left by the ancestors of our flowing clouds and water pavilion countless generations ago," Lantian Yu explains. "They have been passed down orally among the leaders of our sect. By the time it reached my generation, I don't know how many generations have passed."
Evidently, her three disciples have never heard of these four sentences. Qinghong, unable to contain her curiosity, asks, "Master, what do these four sentences mean and what are they used for?"
Instead of answering, Lantian Yu asks, "First, tell me, what is the biggest crisis in our sect?"
Qinghong moves her lips cautiously, glancing at Xiaokai, and Lantian Yu smiles, "Go ahead and say it. The chosen leader is here today to help us resolve this great crisis."
Finally, Qinghong nods and says, "The biggest crisis in our flowing clouds and water pavilion is, of course, the entrance to the demon realm in the Moonlight Forbidden Area and the ten thousand-year celestial demon imprisoned at the entrance."
Lantian Yu's expression becomes solemn and she nods, "Correct."
Meanwhile, Xiaokai can't help but feel a sense of shock as he mutters, "Celestial demon?"
"Yes, exactly," Lantian Yu says. "Master, didn't you subdue a celestial demon using the sealed demon incantation just a month ago?"
Xiaokai feels somewhat shaken and says, "I've heard that celestial demons are rare creatures in the world, appearing only once in thousands of years. How...how is it that, apart from the one I subdued, there is another one here? How powerful is this one?"
"Extremely powerful, beyond imagination," Lantian Yu says dejectedly. "The celestial demon you subjugated a month ago only had a cultivation base of ten thousand years, and even with the combined efforts of all our six major sects, we could barely shake it. If it weren't for your intervention, our cultivation world would probably have been annihilated by now. As for the celestial demon imprisoned in the Moonlight Forbidden Area, it has at least a cultivation base of twenty thousand years!"
"Twenty...twenty thousand years," Xiaokai's face turns slightly pale. "Does that mean it existed before the last great celestial tribulation ten thousand years ago?" He looks at Lantian Yu, then at the three female disciples, and can't help but feel a bit intimidated, "You...are you asking me to deal with the celestial demon?"
Lantian Yu gazes at him with determination and nods slowly, "Indeed."
"Damn!" Xiaokai suddenly jumps up. "I haven't even learned cultivation, and you're asking me to deal with a celestial demon that's lived for twenty thousand years? Are you...are you trying to send me to my death?"
"How can that be," Lantian Yu says, "Master, don't you have the sealed demon incantation?"
"That sealed demon incantation is useless!" Xiaokai says exasperatedly. "It comes and goes quickly, and I don't even know how to use it. What if it fails when I need it? No, not what if, it's a hundred percent going to fail!"
Lantian Yu smiles softly and says, "Master, please don't be agitated, let me explain..."
"To hell with your explanation!" Xiaokai slams his hand against the wall. "No matter what you say, I don't want to die. I want to go home!"
Lantian Yu furrows her brow, "Master, at least listen to me."
"What else is there to say?" Xiaokai angrily says, "I don't mind dual cultivation or discussing other matters, but to deal with a celestial demon, there's no way."
Lantian Yu is at a loss. Having cultivated for decades and possessing beauty, depth of cultivation, and noble status, she has always dealt with courteous cultivators. This is the first time she has encountered someone like Xiaokai. After a moment of thought, she decides not to persuade him further. Instead, she softly recites, "The will of heaven is hard to find, the demonic energy is strong, to eliminate the small evil and open the gates of world destruction."
Xiaokai is indeed puzzled, "What does that mean?"
As soon as he finishes speaking, his junior sister Qinghong claps her hands and exclaims, "Ah, Master, I know what it means!"
She was excited, with a face full of excitement, she stretched out her fingers like white jade, dabbed a little saliva, and wrote four sentences on the snow-white wall, just four lines, in a neat and tidy manner. The handwriting was beautiful and clear, which made Xiao Kai feel a little dazed, can't help but secretly think, "This little girl's handwriting is really good."
"Look, " Qing Hong said, "Actually, this is a hidden head poem, no, it should be a hidden head and tail poem."
Xiao Kai looked carefully, and when he connected the beginning and the end of the four lines, it indeed formed two sentences, and he couldn't help but read, "The demon wants to be destroyed, seeking Yan Xiaokai."
"Yes, the demon wants to be destroyed, seeking Yan Xiaokai, " Lan Tianyu sighed, "These four sentences have troubled my clan's Cloud Pavilion for more than ten thousand years. No matter how we comprehend, we couldn't understand the mystery inside. It wasn't until I saw the head receive and subdue the demon, destroy the spirit pulse, and invoke the Mahjong grand array a month ago that I suddenly realized that these four sentences are about the head."
Xiao Kai hesitated, "When were these sentences said?"
"Five thousand years ago, " Lan Tianyu affirmed, "After the demon was imprisoned in the Moon Palace, our ancestor left these four sentences and then ascended on the spot."
Xiao Kai opened his mouth, unable to say a word.
Five thousand years ago, it was amazing that they already predicted his existence, how extraordinary was this?
"Don't be shocked, young man," said the erudite figure in the book without words, "In those days, it was the golden age of cultivation, the world didn't know how many powerful and transcendent figures there were. Even the immortals didn't dare underestimate cultivators. This kind of 'great prophecy' is really not worth mentioning."
"Then... is it credible?" Xiao Kai asked tentatively.
"Of course it's credible," the erudite figure smiled, "Once everything is born in this world, fate begins to count in the dark, with only three parts relying on cultivation, but seven parts are predetermined. The great prophecy can see the seventh part of fate. Although the twists and turns in the process are strange and difficult to count, the endings seen are basically correct."
Xiao Kai swallowed his saliva, "So, I really can destroy the demon?"
The erudite figure nodded, "Yes."
Xiao Kai clenched his fists, finally made up his mind, "Okay, then I will sacrifice everything to be a hero!"
Lan Tianyu and the three female disciples saw Xiao Kai's uncertain expression, all of them nervous. But seeing Xiao Kai suddenly smile, he sat back in his chair, "Okay then, I'll go and meet the demon!"
Lan Tianyu finally breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, "Bai Lu, you go get those two treasures, Ning Xiang, Qing Hong, let's go directly to the Moon Palace."
Generally, forbidden places were hiding some secrets unknown to others, and the Moon Palace in the Cloud Pavilion was particularly important. Except for the most core leaders of the Water Pavilion, no outsiders had ever entered. With Lan Tianyu bringing Xiao Kai and the others, they crossed at least seventeen or eighteen levels. At each checkpoint, Lan Tianyu exhibited various wonderful methods and cracked various decryption formulas. Xiao Kai, while feeling dizzy from watching, also gradually understood that today's situation was really remarkable.
About a quarter of an hour later, Xiao Kai finally stepped through an archway with Lan Tianyu. Beyond the archway, it was unexpectedly clear. He had thought that inside there would just be a courtyard, but when he raised his head, he saw an immense plain that seemed to stretch endlessly. The plain looked to be hundreds of square kilometers, and with Xiao Kai's eyesight, he couldn't see the end. The whole plain was covered in a hazy light yellow mist, as if a sandstorm had just swept through, and the sky and the earth were both dim.
Lan Tianyu said, "Head, do you feel anything when you see this fog?"
"No, " Xiao Kai took a deep breath, "I don't smell anything."
Lan Tianyu shook her head with a wry smile, "Could it be that the head hasn't started formal cultivation, so you can't feel the demonic and celestial energy."
Just as she said that, a soft voice came from behind, "Master, the Reincarnation Banner and Agarwood Box have been brought here."
Xiao Kai turned around and saw the two items in Bai Lu's hands. The item in her left hand looked like a piece of white cloth held by a street performer, but instead of bearing the words "Iron Mouth Direct Statement" or "Wonderful Hand Rejuvenation," it had the big characters "Reincarnation." The writing looked very ancient and the lines seemed to be carved with knives and axes, giving it the appearance of an artifact. In her right hand was a small wooden box emitting a faint scent—clearly made of agarwood.
Taking the Reincarnation Banner from Bai Lu, Lan Tianyu said to Xiao Kai, "It's one of the Ten Immortal Artefacts of the Cultivation World, and our Cloud Pavilion has two of them. This right here, Head, is one of our most precious treasures. However, the artifacts of our Cloud Pavilion are different from those of other sects. Others' treasures are well-known, but our two treasures are not widely known. Do you know why, Head?"
"Could there be some secret about your treasures?" Xiao Kai guessed.
Lan Tianyu nodded, "Head, have a look." She ran her fair fingers along the wooden pole of the Reincarnation Banner until she reached the word "Reincarnation." "There are two small holes here, one black and one white. These two holes represent the meaning of 'reincarnation.'"
She gave the Reincarnation Banner a slight shake, and the black hole seemed to suck in the yellow mist on the plain like a long dragon. Then, with another shake, the white hole sprayed out a stream of white gas, which landed on Bai Lu standing opposite. Bai Lu didn't dodge, but closed her eyes, assuming a posture of cultivation, and absorbed the white gas completely, opening her eyes with a radiant expression.
Lan Tianyu smiled at Xiao Kai, "Do you understand, Head?"
Xiao Kai looked incredulous, "You just... turned demonic energy into celestial energy?"
"Right, that's how the word 'reincarnation' should be understood," Lan Tianyu said.
It's important to note that at present, celestial energy is becoming increasingly scarce, and ordinary practitioners simply can't find a place to cultivate without relying on the major sects. For the monsters, they have no place to cultivate at all. For instance, the Eighteen Caves Demon Clan is almost on the brink of extinction. Yet within this Moon Palace, there's an endless supply of demonic energy. If this demonic energy could be converted into corresponding celestial energy, then for the disciples of the Cloud Pavilion, the Moon Palace would truly be a paradise for cultivation in the path of the Immortals.
Demonic energy and celestial energy are almost completely opposite extremes. Just as cultivators and monsters can never coexist peacefully, it's the most basic truth in this world. But this artifact can transform demonic energy into celestial energy, which has subverted the most fundamental rules between heaven and earth.
From this perspective, although the Reincarnation Banner has no actual attack power and isn't well-known among the Ten Immortal Artefacts, its role has actually surpassed the sum of all the other artefacts.
As Xiao Kai breathed a long sigh, once he understood the principles behind it, he immediately understood why the Cloud Pavilion had to keep it secret, simply because this treasure was truly awe-inspiring!
Seeing Xiao Kai's astonished expression, Lan Tianyu's face revealed some pride as she picked up the Agarwood Box and handed it to Xiao Kai. "This box is another one of our sect's immortal artifacts, and its function is to imprison."
Xiao Kai reached out and took the box, carefully examining it. The entire box was one solid piece, and where the lid should have been able to open, there was only a very faint crevice. The lid wasn't locked, but when Xiao Kai tried to lift the box, there was no response. The box's lid simply couldn't be opened.
Puzzled, Xiao Kai couldn't help shaking the box a couple of times, hearing the sound of beads rolling inside. No matter how hard he shook, the lid still wouldn't open.
"Head, don't bother trying anymore, it's useless, " sighed Lan Tianyu. "Our ancestors passed down this treasure, but despite all our efforts, we haven't been able to open it. However, it's said that it could be opened more than ten thousand years ago."
"Is it because your abilities aren't enough?" Xiao Kai asked. "I've heard that many treasures require sufficient strength to use."
"It's possible, but not entirely, " Lan Tianyu said. "More than ten thousand years ago, the last senior who ascended from the Cloud Pavilion also tried to open the box, but still failed. So, it's evident that opening this box requires not just cultivation base. Otherwise, considering the strength of that senior, he would have opened it long ago."
"Oh, " Xiao Kai asked again, "Have you ever heard what's inside?"
"Our sect's records state that this box is the most precious treasure of our Cloud Pavilion, several times more valuable than the Reincarnation Banner. It's said that the agarwood beads inside the Agarwood Box possess earth-shattering power and world-shaking abilities. Even during the golden age more than ten thousand years ago, it was a very famous treasure. But now... " She sighed dejectedly, "What's inside the Agarwood Box can only be utilized through this box. Among the Ten Immortal Artefacts in the Cultivation World, it can only rank at the very end."
"Ah, I've seen this thing!" A voice suddenly shouted in Xiao Kai's mind, surprisingly, it was the usually quiet isolated-real person. "This box... Oh my god, it's so familiar! So heartwarming! So touching!"
The elderly man was usually silent, but today, he was so excited that he exclaimed with three exclamation marks. It seems he was truly moved. Xiao Kai felt a great sense of relief and quickly said, "This is the Agarwood Box. Think carefully if you have any impressions."
"I do, of course I do, " the isolated-real person nodded repeatedly. "I have a very deep impression. Ah, it's a deeply melancholic taste of heartache. No, I can't take it anymore. At my age, I'm starting to feel like crying a little! That's how intense my youth was!"
"Uh... " The other three real people were all a bit speechless.
"Forget the chatter, " Xiao Kai said, "Just think about how to open this thing."
"It’s very simple, " the isolated-real person's eyes were moist as he gazed affectionately at the True Person, "I love you, it's been... for a thousand years..."
The True Person reached out and gave him a punch on the head, "Seriously, you're usually quiet, but now you have this hobby. Stay away from me!"
First, let’s not talk about the dialogue in the wordless book, but talk about Xiao Kai holding the sinking incense box, pondering for a while, then handed it back to Lan Tianyu, saying, "Let's go see the entrance to the demon realm first."
"Alright." Lan Tianyu, with Xiao Kai, continued to walk forward. After a while, they saw a three-meter square cave appearing on the flat ground in front of them. The cave was emitting a faint yellow demonic energy, much stronger than what they had seen before. At the mouth of the cave, a faint layer of white light was intermittently enveloping it, and under the white light, bursts of blood-red light would occasionally flash.
"Look, this is the entrance to the demon realm," Lan Tianyu said, "Our ancestor used the supreme 'Moonlight Restraint' to seal the demon into it, and it has been 15,000 years.”
Xiao Kai said, "Since this is the entrance to the demon realm, and the demon can't break out, why not just go to the demon realm to deal with it?"
Upon hearing this, Ning Xiang and Bai Lu looked at Xiao Kai with astonishment, while Qing Hong chuckled.
“What are you laughing at?” Xiao Kai said bewilderedly, "Did I say something wrong?"
“Of course, you are wrong. Despite being the chosen leader of the sect, you don't even know this common knowledge,” Qing Hong crisply said, "For us cultivators to ascend to the immortal realm is very difficult, and it's equally difficult for the demons to enter the demon realm. Although this is the entrance to the demon realm, the demons need to undergo the test of the demon fire. This demon fire is no less formidable than the heavenly thunder tribulation in the heavenly realm. Do you think it's easy for them to enter?"
Xiao Kai touched his nose and said, "Enough of the nonsense, if they can't get in, why would the demon eagerly run to the entrance of the demon realm?"
Before Qing Hong could retort, Lan Tianyu interrupted her and said with a smile, "What you said is actually right. The demon, unable to cultivate into an immortal, decided to cultivate as a demon. But after entering the entrance to the demon realm, it discovered that it couldn't pass the test of the demon fire. Instead, it was almost burnt to death. Seizing this opportunity, our ancestor immediately used a secret method to seal it under the entrance to the demon realm. Unable to go up or down, it has been stuck there for thousands of years. It's quite unfortunate."
"Isn't it good to just seal it? Why bother to destroy it?" Xiao Kai said, "What's the point?"
Lan Tianyu sighed, “If we could keep it sealed all the time, that would be fine. However, its power has been increasing in recent years, and the Moonlight Restraint is gradually unable to contain it. If we don't restrict it further, it's likely to break the restraint within six months.”
Just then, the blood-red glow under the white light suddenly became more intense, and faint rumbling sounds were heard. Xiao Kai focused to see the white light tremble slightly amidst the rumbling. The demonic energy, much denser than before, violently spewed out, almost resembling a rushing stream rather than a gas.
Lan Tianyu's face turned pale. She nervously watched the light circle for over ten minutes until the rumbling gradually subsided. Looking at the now dimmed white light, it seemed to have suffered a severe blow.
"Its attacks are becoming more intense," Lan Tianyu whispered, "Once it breaks free, all the cultivators under the heavens, even if they concentrate all their treasures and immortal tools, won't be able to stop its slaughter."
Xiao Kai was horrified and asked, "What should we do?"
Lan Tianyu clenched a black hair strand and said decisively, "There's only one way, which is to reapply the Moonlight Restraint. However, before that, we must release the first layer of the restraint, and during that time, we'll need the help of the sect leader."
"How can I help?" Xiao Kai nervously asked, "Just tell me, and I promise to do it."
Lan Tianyu resisted the urge to lash out and said, "Take out the wordless book. Only this book can suppress the demon."
"Oh," Xiao Kai said, shrinking his neck, "How should I suppress it?"
"Boom!" There was another loud sound, and this time, the shaking was even more intense.
"Master, something is not right," Bai Lu urgently said, "It has never been this intense before. Could it be... could it be... could it be coming out?"
Lan Tianyu frowned and swiftly threw the Reincarnation Banner out, shouting, "Transform!"
The Reincarnation Banner flew into the air, and the small black hole instantly expanded several times in a moment, as if it were a fist-sized black hole. The demonic energy that spewed out from the entrance to the Demon Realm was immediately sucked in cleanly by it, even the sparse demonic energy in other areas of the plain was sucked in, as if by a large straw!
"Hey, what's going on here?" Xiao Kai murmured, tugging at Nian Xiang's sleeve.
Nian Xiang glared at him fiercely, then pulled her sleeve and walked away.
It was kind-hearted Junior Sister Qinghong who took the initiative and said, "Master transformed all the demonic energy near the celestial demon into spiritual energy because this celestial demon has already turned to the dark side. Therefore, spiritual energy only has a limiting effect on it, not a promoting effect. In order to prevent it from using the demonic energy to enhance itself, we need to create an unfavorable environment for it."
Xiao Kai smiled at her and thought to himself, "Indeed, little girls are kinder."
The demonic energy at the entrance of the Demon Realm was spewing out faster and with increasing density. After just five minutes of support, the Reincarnation Banner could no longer hold on. Even the fist-sized black hole could not keep up with the speed of the demonic energy erupting. Lan Tianyu's face turned pale as she spat a mouthful of blood onto the Reincarnation Banner. The black hole expanded a little further, barely resisting the erosion of the demonic energy.
At this moment, the demonic energy at the entrance to the Demon Realm was extremely strong, and the spiritual energy was extremely abundant. The white and yellowish gases mixed together, looking particularly heart-stopping. Bai Lu's expression became increasingly serious. Suddenly, she unsheathed her longsword, aiming it directly at the entrance to the Demon Realm and said, "Master, I'll help!"
Nian Xiang handed the Sandalwood Box to Xiao Kai as she rushed forward with her longsword.
Qinghong was just about to give the Sandalwood Box to Xiao Kai when she suddenly remembered that the person in front of her was not "Yan Xiaokai" but "Yan Xiaokai," who was not in line with the prophecy of their ancestor. She became a bit more cautious and, after thinking about it, held the box firmly in her arms instead.
Not far away, as soon as Nian Xiang and Bai Lu rushed forward, there were two "pu" sounds. Each person spat out a mouthful of blood, and their faces instantly turned pale.
"Boom!" There was another intense impact, followed by a slight "clang" sound, and the almost imperceptible white light halo was finally completely broken through.
The peerless celestial demon, imprisoned for fifteen thousand years, was now out!
In an instant, Lan Tianyu, Nian Xiang, and Bai Lu, three graceful figures, all fell back, flying in the air, each spraying blood, and Qinghong rushed forward to catch her master first, then reached back to grab the First Senior Sister Bai Lu. As for the Second Senior Sister, she couldn't be caught anymore.
Thankfully, Xiao Kai was in a good position. He stretched out his arms and already had a soft, jade-like body in his embrace, and a strange fragrance immediately filled the air.
"Hmm, it smells good," Xiao Kai thought instinctively and couldn't help but take a deep breath. It was then that he remembered Lan Tianyu saying that he, as a second disciple, was naturally fragrant.
"You scoundrel, what are you doing?" Nian Xiang was pale and angrily scolded, pushing Xiao Kai away. However, she had expended too much energy and was weak. She took a few soft steps and then began to fall to the side.
Xiao Kai acted quickly, and rushed over to catch her with both hands.
"You... you scoundrel," Nian Xiang panted weakly, scolding, "With a great enemy before us, on the brink of life and death, you still want to flirt with me?"
"I wasn't flirting with you," Xiao Kai also got angry, "If I didn't catch you, you would have been seriously injured by now."
The conversation stopped there because an incredibly terrifying pressure had engulfed them, causing everyone to stare ahead with wide eyes.
On the vast plain, near the shining, blood-red and fiery entrance to the Demon Realm, a thin and scar-covered man was standing proudly between heaven and earth, his eyes as red as blood, exuding a contemptuous look as he coldly stared at everyone present!
Although he was less than two meters tall and weighed less than a hundred catties, his expression and aura were like a powerful army, leaving everyone speechless.
This was the celestial demon of the Moon White Forbidden Land, a peerless celestial demon with at least twenty thousand years of cultivation!
"My luck is really terrible," Xiao Kai lamented in an unknown language, "I just came out and encountered two celestial demons. This time, it seems like... it's going to be difficult."
Xiao Kai didn't lament his fate, his gaze was fixed on the backside of the celestial demon, where a tail of nine fiery-red fur was swaying gracefully, fully expanding to fill all the space, resembling a peacock in full display.
"A fox... it's actually a fox spirit!" Xiao Kai exclaimed in surprise.
The eyes of the celestial demon immediately fell on Xiao Kai, and he said proudly, "Yes, I am the supreme existence of the Fox Clan: Nine-tailed Celestial Fox!"
"But..." Xiao Kai stammered, "You... you... you are male... or rather, you are male."
The celestial demon's eyes suddenly became extremely fierce, and his voice became low, as if a cold wind was blowing from hell, "Humph, I am indeed male. But you don't know that fifteen thousand years ago, I was also female. If it weren't for that unscrupulous old Heaven, and you hypocritical pseudo-gentlemen, how could I have spent ten thousand years turning myself into a male?"
Xiao Kai listened with wide eyes, and even Lan Tianyu and her disciples were stunned, finding the words of the celestial demon incredible. In the world, there were many cultivators and demons, and even eunuchs who had castrated themselves. However, transforming from female to male, perhaps this demon was the first of his kind.
The celestial demon clearly had no interest in recounting his history. His eyes swept over everyone and said hatefully, "You are Yan Xiaokai?"
"Um..." Xiao Kai said, "Do you know me?"
"Of course!" the celestial demon raged, "Divine Will is hard to find, the aura of demons is strong. To eliminate villains, the Gate of Doom opens. I have heard these words for over ten thousand years. Even if I didn't want to remember, it is still extremely difficult."
Xiao Kai couldn't help but look at Lan Tianyu, and she blushed slightly as she explained, "I often mutter to myself when I'm alone in the Moon White Forbidden Land, so I guess my words being overheard by it isn't surprising." She paused and continued, "It's likely that many of the previous leaders of the Flowing Cloud Water Pavilion had this habit."
The celestial demon didn't bother with their troubles and turned back to Xiao Kai, asking, "In all these years, I have often wondered who exactly Yan Xiaokai is. How can you, a mere human cultivator, dare claim to eliminate me when even the treacherous old Heaven can't eliminate me? It's utterly ridiculous! Well, now I'm out, show me what you're capable of, let me see it clearly!"
Xiao Kai tried to recall the feeling he had when releasing the Seal of Doom, but no such feeling came to him, his mind was foggy and he couldn't even recall the chant. After racking his brain for about three minutes, he suddenly had an idea.
"We should engage in a debate, not a fight," Xiao Kai said, "It's already the 21st century, and peaceful development is the key. Since you want to see my skills, let's have a debate, can we?"
"What's a debate? And what's a fight?" The celestial demon, surprisingly still interested, asked.
"Well... this debate," Xiao Kai blushed a bit, "is essentially questioning and answering, such as cultivating methods or the process of refining treasures, or battle experience, and so on. You need to remember, only words are allowed, no physical contact, and whoever uses physical force loses."
This content abides by the target language reading habit and is easy to understand. It maintains the faithful and accurate translation of the original text. If you still need a translation or need help with anything else, please feel free to ask.
The fairy nodded, "I understand, come on."
"First, wait," Xiao Kai said, "we have to make a bet. What will you do if you win, and what will I do if I win?"
The fairy laughed heartily, "You've got some spirit, kid. You tell me what to do."
"Okay, let's do this," Xiao Kai looked at the fairy's expression cautiously and said, "If you win, then we'll have another round. But if I win, then you have to let us go for today, and we can compete another time."
"You're talking nonsense!" The fairy erupted in anger, waving her hand forcefully. A bolt of lightning struck the ground diagonally opposite them, creating a huge crater three meters deep and three meters wide with a deafening bang.
Xiao Kai gasped, unable to say a word.
The fairy shouted, "If you win, we'll have another fight. But if you lose, I will eat you now!"
"Eat...eat..." Xiao Kai's face turned pale.
"Of course I will eat you," the fairy roared, "I haven't eaten a human in over ten thousand years. Now that I finally can, why shouldn't I eat one?"
Xiao Kai's teeth were trembling, and he dared not utter a word of disagreement. He stuttered, "Then let's have a verbal debate first."
"Good, ask your question, I'll answer," the fairy sat on the ground.
Xiao Kai nodded and said, "I'll ask the first question. Once, there was a man who had to cross a single-plank bridge. When he reached the middle of the bridge, he suddenly saw a wolf in front and a tiger behind. Yet, he still managed to cross over. How did he do it?"
As soon as Xiao Kai posed the question, Lantian Yu couldn't help but glance at him and then at the three disciples. They all wore peculiar expressions. If the situation hadn't been so dangerous, the three women would have burst into laughter.
Xiao Kai was quite crafty. He had previously discussed "cultivation methods" and "refining principles" to deceive the fairy into agreeing to the competition. But now, at the official beginning of the competition, he presented a "puzzle."
This ancient fellow, the fairy, had been imprisoned fifteen thousand years ago. If it could answer modern intellectual problems, that would be truly astonishing.
But the fairy didn't even flinch and said, "He just fainted."
Xiao Kai nearly fainted himself, swayed, and then continued, "Alright, I'll ask you another one. A person is eating an apple, but there are worms inside it. How many worms does he have to eat before he feels the most disgusted?"
The fairy was getting impatient, "Don't waste time with such questions. Although I think worms are tastier than apples, I know the answer is half a worm, right?"
Xiao Kai's face turned pale, gritted his teeth, and asked the third question, "In Xiaoming's family, there are three brothers. The eldest is called Big Mao, the second is called Second Mao, what is the name of the third?"
The fairy immediately answered, "He is naturally called Xiaoming."
Xiao Kai's eyes reddened, and he turned to look at the four beautiful women at the Penglai Pavilion. Through clenched teeth, he uttered, "Who leaked the secret?"
Xiao Shimei's head drooped, and she spoke as if she were a mosquito, "It might have been me...I remember, for a while, I used to buy a book called 'Complete Collection of Riddles' and frequently presented questions to Xiaojie inside the Moonlit Forbidden Area..."
"Phew!" Xiao Kai spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.
The fairy glared at Xiao Kai and sneered, "Yan Xiaokai, don't play tricks with me. Your little scheming has no significance. Don't forget, I am a fox in my true form."
A fox is one of the most cunning and agile creatures in the world. This nine-tailed fairy, being a celestial fox, had demonstrated such cleverness. It was evidently at the peak of its craftiness, far beyond Xiao Kai's cleverness.
At this critical moment, Xiao Kai calmed down. He gritted his teeth and, in a low voice, asked, "May I know your name?"
The fairy was taken aback and answered, "Hutian."
"Alright, Hutian, listen," Xiao Kai's tone grew deeper, "I initially thought that divine intervention exists, and even a fox should have its own destiny. But you've been pushing me relentlessly, full of killing intent. Since that's the case, I have no choice but to take action!"
The fairy was actually intimidated by him and stepped back slightly, cautiously saying, "Come, I want to see what you're capable of."
Xiao Kai snorted, "Dealing with you doesn't require me to take action. You just wait on the side. I'll be enough to deal with you after teaching this little beauty."
While speaking, he gazed directly at Qinghong, with apparent reference to her as the little beauty.
The fairy nodded, "Good, I'm waiting."
Xiao Kai walked up to Qinghong, glanced at Lantian Yu and the other three with surprised looks, and smiled slightly, "Don't worry, watch me."
Qinghong looked at Xiao Kai and then at her master. She saw her master nodding slightly, implicitly instructing her to listen to Xiao Kai.
Xiao Kai led Qinghong to one side and said, "Stand here, hold your incense box properly, and no matter what I say, don't move."
Qinghong held the sandalwood box in her hands respectfully and nodded, "You can rest assured that for the sake of vanquishing demons and upholding justice, I absolutely won't move."
Xiao Kai nodded and took a few steps back, about five steps in total. His eyes suddenly filled with infinite affection as he gazed fixedly at Qinghong's pretty face, not moving at all.
"Master, you...what are you doing..." Lantian Yu was about to ask when she heard Xiao Kai passionately chant, "I love you, for eternity..."
Qinghong's face blushed instantly. She moved her lips to say something, but then heard Xiao Kai continue, "In the attic of the Penglai Pavilion, your graceful figure...”
Sweat trickled down Lantian Yu's forehead.
"By the stream at the foot of Mount Shu, that's my yearning...”
Sweat began to appear on Qinghong's forehead as well. Her blushing expression was a mix of embarrassment and confusion.
"The sun in the sky, rising and setting, for a thousand years and ten thousand years, never changing..."
"Crack! Crack!" Fiery Second Shijie's fists clenched, indicating an impulse to use violence.
"However, my love for you is even longer than the sun's ten thousand years..."
Qinghong couldn't hold it in any longer and whispered, "Xiao Kai, I am touched by your affection, but this isn't the time for love confessions. Can we...”
Xiao Kai ignored her and continued, "The intense flame of passion in my heart is enough to ignite the entire immortal realm..."
"Why not the demon realm?" the fairy curiously asked.
Xiao Kai didn't bother looking at it and instead gazed longingly at Qinghong, reciting the last sentence, "Only in our united cultivation can my lifelong most precious treasure be illuminated by your radiance!"
"You are really shameless!" Ningxiang couldn't bear it any longer, and finally exploded at this moment. Her pink and tender fist fiercely struck Xiaokai's chin, with an incredibly beautiful straight punch, sending Xiaokai flying.
Lantianyu secretly thought it was not good, but before she could stop it, the situation suddenly changed!